In some of their previous playoff appearances, the Houston Astros gained advantages with some rather unscrupulous methods. For the ALCS, Houston has a big advantage based on the schedule. While it is true that the Astros essentially played a four-game series against the Mariners because Game 3 went 18 innings, they’ve had plenty of time to rest and prepare for a crack at the AL pennant.
The New York Yankees, meanwhile, had to record the final out on Tuesday just about 24 hours before taking the field for Game 1 of the ALCS on Wednesday in the Lone Star State. That could prove to be a huge edge for the Astros, as the emotions of the playoffs are maybe more draining than what it takes physically.
The Astros were going to be favored regard of opponent, and they certainly would have been a bigger favorite against the Guardians, but are still laying a hefty price against the Yankees. Many felt like the Dodgers and Astros were the best teams in baseball by a pretty sizable margin. One is still left standing, and that team has the chance to show it and advance to the World Series for the fourth time in seven years.
New York Yankees (+ 150) vs. Houston Astros (-170)
While Houston has a noticeable rest advantage (not having played since Saturday) — which allows Dusty Baker and his staff to have the rotation and a bullpen blueprint put together — we know that there are no certainties in the MLB playoffs. It is a high-variance tournament played in small sample sizes where anything can happen. The three National League teams that won over 100 games didn’t even make the League Championship Series. The best team doesn’t always win a series.